The grand life of George’s godfather who is richer than Kate & Wills with 150-bed pad & had Michael McIntyre at his 21st
PRINCE William is set to have a starring role in the upcoming lavish wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, who is Prince George’s godfather.
Groom Hugh, 33, may have impressive royal connections, but his fortune actually eclipses that of Prince William and Kate Middleton - and he even lives in a 11,000-acre estate.
Hugh - known as "Hughie" to his pals - is said to be close with Princes William and Harry, and has grown up in aristocratic circles.
The businessman is so close to the royals that he was named a godfather to William's son and second in line to the throne Prince George.
Hugh boasts an eye-watering fortune of £10.1billion, which is ten times more than William’s predicted £1.05billion wealth after inheriting his father’s Duchy of Cornwall estate as he became King.
Here, we take a look at the extravagant life of the billionaire and how he became one of the richest men in the UK…
More on the royals
Family fortune
The Duke topped The Sunday Times Rich List for the under 40s when it was released on 17 May, with an estimated wealth of £10.127billion.
He became a billionaire at the young age of 25, after his father Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor died in 2016 of heart attack aged 64.
The late Queen wrote to the family privately after Gerald died at the Royal Preston Hospital.
Property tycoon
Hugh is the head of a property empire that has swept up more than 1,500 buildings around the world.
His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns about 300 acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool's ONE shopping centre.
Because of this Hugh is often described as owning "half of London".
A-lister wedding
Hugh is tying the knot on June 7 to Olivia Henson, 31, at Chester Cathedral and it’s set to be a star-studded affair.
The Prince of Wales, 41, is among the groom's party and will be an usher during the ceremony, for which there will be 400 in attendance.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, who is receiving cancer treatment, is not expected to attend.
King Charles - who is also undergoing chemo - is not expected to be there either, despite being Hugh's godfather.
It is understood that to avoid any tension, Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan Markle, 42, will not be attending, reports .
A friend of princes previously told the Sunday Times: “It’s incredibly sad it has come to this.
"Hugh is one of the very few close friends of William and Harry’s who has maintained strong bonds and a line of communication with both.”
The extensive properties of Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster
THE Grosvenor family originally made their fortune from mining before turning their eye to the property world.
Hugh inherited an impressive property portfolio when his father passed away in 2016.
The Duke owns the entirety of London's Park Lane and half of Mayfair.
As well as this, the properties Hugh owns include:
- Eaton Estate - the 11,500-acre Grosvenor family home in Cheshire.
- Abbeystead - the 23,500-acre shooting estate in Lancashire.
- Finca La Garganta estate - the 37,000-acre plot in rural Cordoba near Seville, Spain.
- Reay Forest in Sutherland, Scotland.
Following the wedding service, guests will enjoy a reception at nearby Eaton Hall on the Grosvenors' 11,000-acre estate - and there is said to be a strict “no gift” policy.
A second smaller reception will be held there for close family and friends.
Hugh, who often maintains a low profile, said he is "incredibly excited" about the wedding, but admitted it will be "nerve-racking".
150-bedroom home
His portfolio includes the family seat, the 11,500-acre Eaton Estate, which will soon become his full-time residence following his wedding.
“And we're slowly transitioning to move up from London and be much more permanent here and really putting roots down.”
In addition, Hugh owns Reay Forest in Sutherland, Scotland, home to a raft of beautiful mountains and thousands of wild deer, and the 23,500-acre Abbeystead shooting estate in Lancashire.
The family also owns a townhouse on Park Lane in London.
If he needs a holiday, he can retreat to his 37,000-acre plot, the Finca La Garganta estate, in rural Cordoba near Seville, Spain.
William and Harry have been known to be occasional visitors, passing the time by hunting for wild boar and deer.
£5m birthday bash
For his 21st birthday in 2012, Hugh's father splashed a whopping £5million on a lavish bash with high-profile guests including Prince Harry.
The do was held in the gardens of Eaton Hall, and saw performances from the likes of comedian Michael McIntyre and hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks.
His 800 guests had access to free-flowing champagne and were treated to a light show at the stroke of midnight.
Clearly impressed with the shindig, the duke said at the time: “The party was simply amazing – a birthday and a party I will never forget.
"It is the beginning of a new era in my life and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.”
Several pictures taken around that era show Hugh partying with a string of girls and goofing around with pals.
Supportive fiance
With royal connections and billions in the bank, the Duke was once described as "Britain's most eligible bachelor' - that was until his future Duchess swept him off his feet.
The happy couple met through friends in 2021, after two years of dating, the Duke proposed to Olivia at Eaton Hall, which is his sprawling family estate in Cheshire.
Olivia works for London-based food firm Belazu and is said to speak Italian and Spanish.
She will become the new Duchess of Westminster, once they are wed.
During her childhood, she attended the same school as the Princess of Wales, Marlborough College.
Philanthropic nature
Over his life, Hugh is said to have refrained from flaunting his cash, opting instead to show his philanthropic side.
In April 2020, Hugh donated millions of pounds to support the Government's response to the pandemic.
His parents reportedly wanted a “normal” childhood for their children, due to the late Duke hating his time at posh boarding school Harrow.
They decided to send Hugh to small private primary school Mostyn House in Cheshire near the family’s home.
He went on to attend private day school Ellesmere College in Shropshire, before getting a 2.1 in Agriculture at Newcastle University.
A friend previously said of him: “You’d never have known that his dad was a billionaire.
“He never flashed the cash although he would often put his hand in his pocket to buy a round of drinks.
“He’s a really down-to-earth bloke who never acted like a toff and is just a really good guy.”
Close family
The Duke has three sisters; Lady Tamara van Cutsem, Lady Edwina Snow and Lady Viola Roberts.
Hugh's older sister Lady Tamara is married to Edward van Cutsem, a friend of Prince William and godson of King Charles.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
His other older sister, Lady Edwina, is wed to TV presenter Dan Snow, while the youngest in the family, Lady Viola, is married to Dragoons Guard officer Angus Roberts.
Ancient laws meant that, although Hugh is the third child of his parents Gerald and Natalia Grosvenor, he inherited most of his family's fortune over his older sisters as he is the only son.